Angel and Collins: Through the Years
by We Can Be Gorgeous
Summary: Just a short one maybe two shot about Angel and Collins if they were friends from age 5 to age 21. AU child to teen fic. I love teen RENT people! I have added deleted scenes!
1. Actual Story

**A/N: So I was just bored and came up with what if Angel and Collins were best friends since they were five, but the relationship developed over time and this was the result.**

**Disclaimer: No own. Too tired for something funny.**

Age 5…

"So what do you think, Tommy?" Angel said showing his friend the dress that Mimi and dressed him in.

"It's pretty. I like it," Tommy said with a huge smile that made Angel smile in return.

"Really? I don't think green is a good color."

Tommy opened his mouth to reply but---

"Angel Dumott-Schunard! Get out of that right now!" the teacher yelled.

The small Latino looked close to tears, so Tommy hugged him.

"I think you look pretty."

Age 10…

"But, Tom I don't want to play truth or dare!" Angel complained. He was spending the night at his friend's house, simply because they were hanging out so long it just turned into a sleep over.

"Too bad Angel and you have to answer completely truthfully!" he replied.

Angel just glared at Tom, who smirked in return. "Alright, I pick truth."

"Okay, um, who do you have a crush on?"

_You. _"No one."

"Liar,"

"Well, I'm moving on either way," Angel said dismissively. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," he said.

"I dare you to tell me who your first crush was."

"Oh that so doesn't count! You twisted it around!"

"Yes it does count. You never set any rules!"

"Fine. It was-" _you _"-Maureen."

"Liar," Angel declared.

"You lied," Tom accused.

"So?"

"New game, then?"

Age 16…

Tom threw back another drink of his cola and passed it to Angel. They were sitting on the hood of Tom's car, just looking at the stars.

"Hey Tom?" Angel asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course! We've been friends since we were 3. You can tell me anything," Tom assured, sitting up to look his friend in the eye.

"I'm gay," Angel blurted out.

Tom stopped breathing for a second and looked away. He looked at Angel again. He looked so vulnerable, so cute. Before he knew what was happening, he was leaning closer and closer. Their lips met in a feverish kiss. Electricity shot through their nerve endings.

"Wow," Tom said after they parted.

"Yeah," Angel agreed, breathlessly. He pulled his friend back and met him in another kiss. He led them to the inside of the car. They stumbled into the back, and let their instincts take over.

Age 21…

"Happy fifth anniversary, Tommy," Angel said as they cuddled under the stars on top of Collins' car's hood in the same place they were five years ago.

"Only fifth? I'd say fifteenth," Tom said.

"What do you mean? We've only been dating for five years," Angel said.

"Yeah, but I've loved you for fifteen." Collins reached into his pocket and pulled out a beaded white ring. "I made it myself," he said proudly.

Angel felt tears prick his eyes at his boyfriend's confession and simple, yet beautiful gift. Collins slid the ring onto Angel's ring finger. A perfect fit.

"I love you, Angel."

"I love you too much, Tommy."

They shared a simple kiss that brought them to their fourth 1000th.

**So what'd you think? I thought it was fun to write. I don't know. Please review!**


	2. Deleted Scenes

**A/N: A Crazy person ; ) said that it should've been a bit longer, like more in depth of the relationship that is Angel and Collins, and while this isn't a second chapter, it is, well, deleted scenes if you will. Like just additions. I thought it'd be fun to add to it too, so enjoy!! P.S. I didn't put it in any order. I just wrote whatever age I wanted to.**

**Disclaimer: I own this as much as think I do! Psh! I wish!**

**Age 13 or 14. You know, that odd transition time…**

The eight bohemians (including Benny) were happily talking at lunch, sharing their food and just being happy to be going against the grain. They continued their happy chatting until the bell rang.

"Hang on, guys I have to tell you all something," Maureen said, stopping them all. "Do you mind skipping your last few classes?"

Of course none of them did, and they ended up in the small bunch of trees out in the schoolyard.

"So, Mo," Collins said sitting beneath a tree. "What'd you want to tell us?"

"Well, um, I wanted to tell you all that I'm bi."

No one's facial expressions changed.

"So, is that all you wanted to tell us?" Roger asked.

"Why aren't you guys reacting, you know, at all?" she said, getting pretty mad.

"Because you're our friend. It doesn't matter," Mimi said, calmly. "We wouldn't care if you were green and thought you were a witch. You'd still be our friend, and we would still care about you."

Maureen smiled widely at her friends. "So what do you guys want to do for the rest of the day?"

"How about my house? My parents aren't home until six," Benny offered. No one disagreed.

On the way, Angel slowed Mimi down and asked her a question.

"Bi means you like both boys and girls," she said simply.

_But I don't like both. Just boys, _he wanted to say, but something stopped him. Fear stopped him.

**Age 17**

Angel heard a knock on the door to his bedroom.

"Just a second!" he called.

"Angel?" he heard Collins call from the door. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just please give me a minute!" he snapped.

There was silence for a moment, as his boyfriend thought for a minute. "No, I'm coming in."

Before Angel could race to the door, it opened and his secret was revealed. Collins entered the room to see his best friend/boyfriend standing in his room, wearing a bright pink skirt, black stockings, and a white blouse. His face was in his hands.

"Angel?" Collins asked, slowly walking towards him.

"You think I'm a freak now, don't you?" he asked, not looking up.

"No, I could never think that," he replied, carefully. He pulled Angel into a tight bear hug.

"Yes, you would. "

"How could you think I would think that?"

"Because_ I_ do. I'm a freak."

"No, you're not. You are just a person. You are having a hard time figuring out yourself. Babe, that's almost every teenager in the history of the world!" Collins explained.

"Yeah, but how many have to deal with that and being gay?"

"I have no idea, but you probably have the best legs out of all of them."

Angel giggled a little. "Thanks honey. Guess it's just time for that monthly break down." He sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Now scoot so I can change into my regular clothes."

Collins started unbuttoning his lover's shirt. "I think I can help with that."

**Age 18 (i.e. the coming out. Dun dun duuuuuun!)**

"I can't do this, Angel. I really can't," Collins admitted as they approached his house.

"Tommy, listen to me. You just helped me tell my parents, and it all went fine. We'll be okay, I promise," Angel said.

Collins took a calming breath, nodding. He took his hand and they bravely walked into his house.

"Mom? Dad? Can you come here?"

They adjourned in the living room, after a minute.

"What's this all about, son? Why's Angel here?" Mr. Collins asked.

"Um, I have to tell you something. I've decided that I'm not afraid anymore and wanted to tell you that I am gay."

"But what does that have to do with Ang— Oh," Mrs. Collins realized.

"So I have one question. Do I still have a home?" Collins asked after a minute of an _extremely _awkward and uncomfortable silence.

"No," he heard his father growl. "I want you to get your stuff and be out by tonight."

"Oh, but Marvin, you can't be serious!" his mother cried.

"I am."

Angel squeezed Tom's hand reassuringly.

"Fine. I'm going to get my stuff, and you'll never see me again," Collins threatened.

He did what he told them he would do.

"Mom, I love you and I'll call you when I get to wherever I'm going."

He kissed his mother on the cheek, grabbed Angel's hand and was out the door in five minutes. He got to the car they bought a few months ago. It was crap, but it was theirs.

"Honey, I'm so sorry I made you do that! I never would've ever thought that they would've reacted like that! They just seemed so nice and accepting!--" Angel's babbling was silenced with a deep kiss from his boyfriend.

"It's okay," he whispered between kisses. "It's better that they know."

"So where are we going to go? I'm sure my parents will let you stay with us. Or we could get a place of our own!"

"That sounds perfect," Collins agreed. He started the car and their trip into NYC.

**An alternate ending.**

"_Hey Tom?" Angel asked softly._

"_Yeah?"_

"_Can I tell you something?"_

"_Of course! We've been friends since we were 3. You can tell me anything," Tom assured, sitting up to look his friend in the eye._

"_I'm gay," Angel blurted out. He saw Collins look at him and before he knew what he was doing, he leaned in and kissed his best friend._

"_Whoa, Angel" Collins said pulling away. "You're my best friend and I love you but more like a brother."_

"_Oh," Angel said, feeling like all the wind had been punched out of him. "I have to go."_

_He got off the car and ran. He ignored the calls of his friend and just kept running the few miles home._

Angel just kept pounding out on his drum. The scene had haunted him forever. He couldn't be near his friend anytime after that. Calls were ignored, emails were deleted. It was bad. He pounded harder. It didn't help that that scene was mixing with the dog death scene he had made happen.

Angel heard a cough from the alley. _I'm already dying, what else could happen? _he thought, and headed towards the alley.

"Hello?" he called. More coughs. He saw the person on the ground. Instinct took over. "Oh my God! You okay, honey?"

"I'm afraid so."

He immediately recognized the person as none other than Thomas B. Collins. He hoped that he wouldn't recognize him.

He swallowed. "Did they get anything or-"

Collins didn't appear to know who he was. "I didn't have any money, but they took my stuff," he said wiping the blood, and possibly, tears from his face.

Angel absentmindedly handed him the white handkerchief he kept in his pocket.

"No, I'm fine," he responded.

_Now or never,_ Angel thought. "I'm Angel."

"Angel?" Collins seemed to think for a second. "Friends call me Collins. Tom. Tom Collins."

Angel gulped nervously before deciding. "Come on." He pulled Collins up. "Let's get you cleaned up."

He cried in pain as he stood up and started to walk really slowly.

"I have to hurry. I have a Life Support meeting to go to."

"Life Support?" he asked, walking a little faster.

"Yeah, it's for people with AIDS." Angel pushed back the bad memories of what had happened. In order to try to forget Collins, Angel hit all the bathhouses he could find and had is brains screwed out. "People like me."

"Me too," Collins said, almost nonchalantly.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before realization hit Collins like a slap in the face with a foot. He grabbed Angel's shoulders and spun him to face him.

"Collins what are y-"

Collins melded their lips together. "I'm so sorry, Angel. I shouldn't have pushed you away," he whispered. "You should've taken my calls. I was going tell you that I've always loved you."

Angel smiled and felt a few tears well up. "I love you, too, Collins." He kissed him again, softer. He leaned up and whispered, really huskily, "Let's go get you cleaned up." He smiled at his obvious double meaning and pulled him along. Life Support could go a meeting without him.

**So did you like the deleted scenes? They were kind of fun to write, I have to say! : ) So you know the drill! Press that pretty review button and it'll be your BFFL!**


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